Out of Control
by WhiteIce
Summary: Alternate ending to "Emily Lake." What if Sykes hadn't left the airplane hanger, but had decided to use Steve's betrayal to his advantage? What if, instead of using H.G. Wells to get into the Warehouse, he used Claudia Donovan?
1. Chapter 1

Claudia, Pete and Myka made their way into the airplane hanger. Quickly they looked around – but Claudia felt her pulse increase when she saw no one. Where was Steve?

"Claud!" She turned – his voice was coming from the office above.

"Steve!" She cried happily, rushing up the stairs. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah – Sykes and the others bailed a few minutes ago. Sykes left me with a mission to take out the B & B - "

Claudia breathed a sigh of relief as she leapt into the office – only to see Sykes, Marcus, Tyler and Helena still there.

Before she could say anything, a hand clamped down on her mouth and an arm wound its way tightly against her arms, pinning them to her sides. She fought the person, but they gripped her tightly, roughly.

"Hello Ms. Donovan." Sykes said calmly, as Marcus stepped forward and plucked the Tesla out of her hands, which were pinned uselessly to her waist. "You obviously know me, and my fellow helpers." He nodded to Marcus and Tyler. "And of course you remember the lovely Ms. Wells." He nodded then to H.G., who was sitting in the corner, gagged with her hands bound behind her. She looked at Claudia in horror.

Which meant there could only be one person holding Claudia.

"Warehouse 13 really should have better undercover agents." Sykes said, holding the riding crop, flexing it. "It was almost child's play to realize that Agent Jinks was working against us."

Claudia managed to twist her head minutely to look up at Steve, who was staring at Sykes, an unreadable look on his face.

"And then of course he would pass on the news about our location to you in the woods. And of course you would come, being the good agent and friend to him that you are." Sykes said, with a tone of courtesy in his voice, as though he was commending her.

"At first it was a slight hindrance, I assumed we would have to kill Agent Jinks and then hustle out of our hanger even quicker than we planned." Sykes said, twirling the crop in his fingers. "But then I thought… 'Well, if we have lemons, we should make lemonade!'" He laughed. "After all, when fate drops three – no, four, I'm sorry Agent Jinks – Warehouse agents into your lap, why don't you run with it?"

At that moment he twisted the crop so that Jinks' hands slipped from her mouth and to her neck, cutting off her air circulation, so that she couldn't scream out a warning to Pete and Myka, who were racing up the stairs as well, finished with checking the rest of the hanger. They assumed the danger has passed – they wanted to see their friend again, just like Claudia had. Steve grabbed his gun and pushed it against Claudia's temple.

"Claud!" Myka yelled when they reached the office, and saw the scene before them.

"Let them go Sykes!" Pete said, raising his Tesla rifle. Sykes simply smiled.

"If you don't want Claudia to have a bullet through her head, curtsey of her own partner, then you will put down you weapons, as well as your Farnsworths and cell phones, and toss them over to Marcus here." Sykes said cheerfully. Claudia tried to twist her head to tell them 'no' but Steve simply increased his grip on her neck. Claudia felt her legs begin to sink to the floor, and would have collapsed if Steve hadn't been holding her up. Black dots began to pop up in her vision.

"Sykes, have him ease up – you're killing her!" Myka screamed.

"Would you look at that? I am." Sykes said. "The weapons and your communication – now."

Quickly Myka and Pete handed over everything and anything that could have saved them from Sykes. Once the objects were in Marcus' hands, Steve eased up on Claudia's neck. She quickly took large gasps of breath.

"Are you alright Claudia?" Sykes asked. Claudia hesitated, but nodded. He smiled and gestured to Marcus, who walked over to Claudia and proceeded to bind her hands behind her back with zip ties. Steve still had his gun to her head, and after her hands were behind her back, grabbed her, shoving her over to the door.

"Myka, Peter, please go over to where Ms. Wells is." Sykes said calmly.

Myka and Pete both checked to see Helena in the corner. Myka nearly ran over to H.G. after seeing her. Quickly she began to work the duck tape off her mouth. Sykes didn't stop her, but instead turned his attention to Pete, who stared at Claudia and Jinks. "Peter, if you will." Pete hesitated once more and then Steve threw Claudia to the ground, raising his gun at her. Claudia screamed and tried to move away, but her feet got stuck on the carpet and her hands were bound tightly behind her back, making it hard to move. "I have no problem making Agent Jinks shoot Ms. Donovan in the kneecap, Peter." Sykes said calmly.

Claudia looked up at Jinks in fear, cringing as she stared at the gun in his hands. Her eyes went from the gun to Steve's face, which was set firmly. She guessed he was trying to be brave about the situation, but when she looked in his eyes she saw fear and horror clearly in them. He was terrified – about what Sykes was going to do to Pete and Myka, about what Sykes was going to do to H.G., about what Sykes was going to force him to do to Claudia. And he couldn't do anything to stop it.

Pete made his way to Myka and H.G., and the second he did so Sykes activated an artifact that he pulled out of his pocket. A force field sprung up around the three, making it a prison. Pete beat the prison with his fists and then threw himself against it, but it was clear that he wasn't going to get out.

"I'll come back for you later, Peter." Sykes said. "I won't let your mother go to her death without seeing the torture and murder of her only son and youngest child. And maybe I'll even stop in for a visit to your sister – won't that be delightful?"

Pete's face was an expression of pure rage and hate and he began to scream at Sykes from behind the force field. It was soundproof so Claudia couldn't hear what he was saying, but from the expression on Myka and H.G.'s faces, it was nothing good.

"Now Steve," Sykes said, flexing the crop and making Steve grab Claudia and haul her to her feet, "let's go pay Warehouse 13 a little visit." Claudia and Steve walked down the stairs, with Marcus in tow, watching them. Sykes rolled down a ramp just a few feet away, Tyler pushing him. Quickly they made their way to a car just outside the hanger, where Marcus opened the trunk. Claudia felt her breath quicken at the dark, stuffy interior of the truck and she swallowed, resisting slightly in Steve's grip.

"Don't like the dark?" Marcus said, a cruel smile on his face.

"She doesn't like being confined." Sykes guessed shrewdly. "Do cramped spaces frighten you, Claudia?" He asked kindly.

Claudia just stared at him, unsure how to respond, knowing that behind the act there was no kindness in him. "Would you like to sit up front with Marcus and I?" Sykes asked, grinning.

Horror flooded through Claudia and she shook her head. "Alright then." Sykes said, and Steve tossed her into the trunk roughly. Steve reached for the door to close the trunk, but Sykes stopped him. "I forgot something. Silly me. Marcus?" He said.

Quickly, Marcus pulled out his gun and shot Tyler once through the head. Claudia flinched and ducked her head, not wanting Sykes to know how horrified she was, not wanting to encourage him. Marcus smiled and picked up the body, carrying it over to the trunk, about to dump it in next to her.

Claudia was positive she was going to vomit.

"Marcus, honestly. That car's a rental. We can't afford to waste good money just because we want to dispose of a body quickly." Sykes said, chiding him lightly.

Marcus snarled, disappointed at that his attempt to terrorize Claudia hadn't succeeded, and carried the body into the hanger. "I'll get rid of it later."

Claudia breathed out in relief, but Marcus reached for the lid of the trunk and slammed it down, leaving her alone in the darkness.

The trip to the Warehouse was around an hour and a half. Claudia was jostled about several times, wondering what Sykes was doing, if he was tormenting Steve as he drove them to their home, if Artie or Jane or Mrs. F had any idea what was coming.

The day was hot, and so Claudia was sweating and gasping for breath inside the stuffy trunk only 10 minutes into the drive. She tried to keep her breaths shallow and calm, but she could feel panic setting in.

'Not now.' She told herself. 'Don't panic now. Do it later when you're not in an environment where having a panic attack can kill you due to lack of air.'

That wasn't exactly helpful for avoiding the panic.

An hour and a half later, Claudia felt the car pull to stop and shut down. Footsteps got out of the car, and the doors slammed shut. The trunk opened and Steve pulled Claudia out. She gasped for cool air, happy just to feel the breeze on her sweating body. The next thing she knew her mouth had been forced shut and duck tape was plastered onto her lips.

"To keep you from warning anybody." Sykes said. "Obviously, as demonstrated in the hanger, I can control Agent Jinks' mouth." He said, bending the crop. "But you are a bit more of a handful." He chuckled. They walked to the Warehouse, and Sykes paused at the door. "Ah. Now, let's see… How to get into the Warehouse?" He turned to Claudia, who was staring at him with determination – he wasn't going to get the code to get into the Warehouse from her.

But Steve's hands were rooting through her pockets, and he pulled out a small remote control, pressing it. The door opened and Claudia felt her body slump. The one thing she thought she could do to protect the Warehouse, and Sykes still managed to figure out a way in.

They walked into the Warehouse, past the bombs, pushing open the office door to see Artie and Jane waiting impatiently. Artie turned, "Finally you're back. We thought you were too busy reuniting to give us a call –" He stopped when he took in the scene – Claudia, gagged and bound; Steve, holding a gun to one of the people he cared most about in the world; Sykes' prisoners. Marcus and Sykes behind them, grinning with victory.

Artie immediately started forward, but Sykes stopped him but having Steve shake Claudia roughly.

"Now Arthur you know better than that…" Sykes said.

"Where's my son?" Jane said in a horse voice, her eyes wide with fear – but not for herself. "What did you do with him?"

"He's alive. For now." Sykes said. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you two are reunited. After all, you're an honored guest tonight – you get to have a front row seat in seeing how many artifacts I've acquired, and their implications on a human being. Sort of a science experiment if you will… I should think you like those, being a teacher."

"If you hurt my son you bastard –" Jane said, stepping forward.

"Let's not kid ourselves Jane. I'm going to torture and kill your son, not merely hurt him." He smiled, his voice still calm. "And when it's finished, I'm going to make you beg for death before I finally give it to you. And when I do – you'll thank me." Then Sykes turned to Artie.

"And as for your little girl, Arthur." He said, making Steve give Claudia another rough shake, leaving no doubt as to whom Sykes was referring to. "If you want her death to be short and quick, rather than long and drawn out like Peter's, then you'll do exactly what I say."

Artie looked from the helpless Claudia to Sykes, who was smiling pleasantly at the two, as though they were having a perfectly calm discussion about the weather. "May I?" He said, reaching for Claudia, who was more than eager to go to him.

"Ah…I'm afraid not." Sykes said, having Steve pull Claudia back. "I need her. Leverage, you know?" He chuckled. "Now, come. We're going to find Collodi's bracelet."

They walked through the long aisles of the Warehouse silently, until Artie spoke up. Claudia guessed it was in his nature – to have to have an answer for everything, even if that answer was from a psychopath.

"Why all the fuss with Helena?" He asked Sykes. "Why were you so focused on her?"

"If you must know, I had an extremely elaborate, and if you will excuse my bragging, well thought out plan involving her and a secret Regent hideaway that would have led to my entrance into the Warehouse. But once Agent Jinks here was so good as to spoil where I was keeping Ms. Wells, I thought it might just be simpler to take an agent and force my way in. I'm so impatient." Sykes said. "And since Claudia is the youngest, and most inexperienced fighting wise – not that I'm trying to insult you Claudia, if you were to live as long as Myka and Peter, I'm sure you would be as good a fighter as them – plus the one whom Agent Jinks gave my location too, I thought she deserved the honor."

Suddenly they stopped. Claudia looked at the artifacts on the shelves around them and saw the one in particular Syeks was looking for. "Ah, yes." He said, eagerness in his voice. Quickly he reached forward and grabbed the bracelet, putting it on. For a second, Claudia saw puppet strings around his body as his legs were forced up and he could stand. But then the strings vanished and all she saw was Sykes, triumphant at last.

"Good. Good." He said, nodding. He turned to Marcus and nodded his head. Marcus walked forward and grabbed Jane's arm. She tried to fight him off, but Sykes made a tisking sound and motioned to Claudia, still held at gunpoint. Jane went still and allowed Marcus to bind her hands behind her back.

"Well." Sykes said. He sighed, as if in regret. Like he had any. "I think we've reached the end of our journey with you, Claud." He said, forcing Steve to push Claudia away from him, and raise his gun to her. Claudia felt her blood go cold.

"Wait!" Artie said, rushing forward.

"Arthur, please don't make a scene, it's embarrassing." Sykes said drily.

"You're going to kill me too, I know it. So just let me die with her." Artie said, looking to Claudia. "Two in one."

Sykes considered this. "Well, it is more convenient."

Artie rushed forward and took the terrified Claudia in his arms. Claudia looked at Steve, who had tears in his eyes. As Steve raised his gun once more, Artie pushed her head towards him, trying to comfort and distract her. "Look at me, Claudia. It's going to be okay." Claudia felt tears rise in her eyes. "Shhhh, it's okay. Just look at me kiddo, don't focus on anything else." Claudia stared into Artie's eyes, which were calm and full of love. "It's just me. It's just you and me. Just focus on me." Slowly, Sykes faded out and Claudia stared into Artie's eyes as she heard a gunshot –

And they were still alive. Except no one else was around. Claudia turned to look at Artie, confusion in her eyes.

"It's okay." Artie said, reaching up to her mouth and grabbing a corner of the duck tape. "Sorry about this in advance." He ripped the duck tape off her mouth. She winced, but then quickly got over it, eager to know what had happened.

"Are we dead?" She asked, hoarse both in fear and from having not used her voice for the past two hours.

"No. Not yet." Artie said, trying to unbind her hands. He huffed in exasperation. "These stupid things." He looked on the shelves and pulled off a particularly lethal looking knife, slicing through the zip ties.

Claudia rubbed her wrists and looked at him in confusion. "Then how…"

Artie pulled a stopwatch out of his pocket. "This. It was MacPherson's but he gave it to me. It can move someone forward and backward in time."

Everything was starting to come together for Claudia. "So Steve didn't shoot us…"

"I just forwarded our bodies about 10 minutes into the future."

"Find them you idiot!" Sykes roared from a distance. "Whatever teleportation artifact Neilson used – he wouldn't have gone out of the Warehouse! He wouldn't leave it to us!"

"Steve." Claudia said, automatically stepping forward. Her friend was still Sykes' prisoner. After everything Steve had been through for her, Sykes had forced him to nearly kill her… Claudia felt anger bubble through her veins. She turned to look at Artie, who was looking grimly back at her. Then, curiously, he smiled.

"It's time to do what you do best." He said. "Nearly cause a catastrophic accident in the Warehouse."

Claudia grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay people, I am in desperate need of help here. I am dying to write a good story about the father and daughter relationship between Artie and Claudia. I've got so many ideas spinning around in my head, but nothing concrete. So write in and give me a story prompt for a story about Artie and Claudia. I would like to request prompts that have a serious tone to them – I like to write action and suspenseful stories. I would also like to mention that one of the ideas floating around in my head has been about taking Artie and Claudia back to Joshua's lab, where they first met after years of being apart and started to form the bond that gave them the father/daughter relationship that they have today. You don't have to include that in your prompt, but if you have an idea for that then by all means tell it to me. You can submit more than one prompt: I'd like you to put them in the review for this story, but if you want to PM me them if you think of more after you review, then that's cool too. You will be given credit for the idea you come up with. _

_Also, I would like to thank everyone for the reviews of the previous chapter. You are all great!_

_I don't own Warehouse 13 or any references I make to other movies or products in this story, because if I did, then what you're reading would be happening on your TV screens._

* * *

><p>"Anything?" Sykes asked as Marcus came running back. Marcus shook his head.<p>

"Nothing."

Sykes looked at him in fury and then turned his head to Jane, who was staring at Sykes with a smug smile on her face. Steve couldn't help but admire her bravery. But then again, if Sykes currently hadn't been controlling every muscle on his face, not to mention his body, he probably would have been grinning too, just to egg Sykes on. Sykes turned to Steve and seemed to guess what he had been thinking. With a roar of fury he forced Steve to relinquish his grip on Jane's shoulders and shove her to the floor. Then he turned to Steve with a nasty smile on his face.

"Claudia…" He called. "If you don't come out by the count of five, I'm going to break your friend's back like a twig…"

"One…two…three…four…five." Sykes said, then he sighed and began to bend the riding crop. Steve felt himself bend, so that his chest was towards the ceiling and his arms hung limply, fingers grazing the floor. Sharp spasms of pain flooded his body. His spine objected, begging him to stop, but Steve wasn't in control anymore. He knew that any second his spine would snap in two. Death would probably come soon after, knowing Sykes.

He felt control of his mouth being given back to him by Sykes. Sykes wanted him to scream, to beg Claudia for help. Through the blinding pain, he managed to speak.

"Claud!" He called out frantically. "Stay away! Get out of here! Go help Pete and Myka and H.G.!" That was not what Sykes had been hoping to here, and Steve felt his mouth being closed tightly and his back being bent even more. But it was the least he could do for her – after everything he had done in the past couple of hours. He thought he had been helping the Warehouse - he had betrayed it. He thought he could defeat Sykes - he had empowered him.

He thought he would save Claudia, and he had nearly killed her.

"Sykes!" A roaring voice swept through the Warehouse. Steve dropped the floor, his back no longer being arched, ready to snap. He lay there, panting. Wearily, he raised his head an inch to see Claudia walk towards them. He tried to open his mouth to tell her to stay back, but Sykes flexed his crop and Steve's mouth was forced shut and his head fell back to the floor. All he could see were her feet as she walked towards them.

"Leave him alone Sykes." Claudia ordered. Marcus began to circle around so that he was behind Claudia. Sykes laughed and then Steve felt his body being forced up again. But there was only so much Sykes could force him to do – the pain and fear and anger of the day were making his body weak, and as Sykes forced him up his body began to tremble in exhaustion. Claudia looked at him and her lips tightened in anger. "Pack it in Sykes, you're finished."

"All these clichés." Sykes said. "I've yet to see you actually do something to stop me." Once again, Steve's gun was in his hand, with the safety clicked off and the barrel focused on Claudia. He thought Sykes would waste more time with bragging and talking about the Warehouse's defeat, but then Steve suddenly pulled the trigger. His blood ran cold and he felt like collapsing as the blast from the gun rang in his ears. The bullet rushed for Claudia, but simply sped through her as though she was made of air, hitting Marcus. He collapsed, but wouldn't be down for long. The most Claudia could bank on, Steve knew, was a few minutes.

"What?" Sykes roared, reaching for her. Claudia grinned at him and then vanished. Steve blinked in amazement and then felt someone grab him from behind.

"Don't worry." He heard Claudia whisper into his ear. Steve wanted to point out that Sykes still had control over him, but suddenly felt that control drop. Sykes looked around frantically for him, but didn't seem to see him. Steve realized that his body had vanished like Claudia. When he had vanished, Sykes had a slip and in his shock lost control over Steve for a second. He couldn't take back that control because he couldn't find Steve.

Suddenly Jane came out of nowhere and slugged Sykes. He fell to the ground, letting go of the crop, stunned. Behind her, Artie started typing up the still unconscious Marcus. Steve guessed that he was the one that had freed Jane from her bonds. He wondered if he and Claudia should make themselves visible and go help Jane, but she seemed to be handling the situation pretty well on her own, due to a combination of the Tesla on low settings and her fists.

"You are never going to get your hands on my son you disgusting bastard. You are going to be Bronzed. Do you know what that means?" She hissed into his face. "It means that you will be paralyzed, never to move again for the rest of your days. Which will be forever. Eternal punishment."

Steve made a mental note to never piss off Jane.

Then he felt, rather than saw, himself become visible again. Knowing the danger had passed, he felt his legs collapse with exhaustion. Claudia caught him on the way down, and steadily lowered him to the ground. She looked almost as tired as he did.

"You okay Steve?" She asked. He didn't have much energy left to do anything but nod. "Good." She said, turning to the scene in front of them. "Because I think our work is pretty much done here."

* * *

><p>A few hours later, a relieved Pete, Myka and H.G. had been freed from the force field and Marcus and Sykes were Bronzed. (Steve wasn't a cruel person but he had gotten a small bit of satisfaction at seeing them Bronzed – Marcus seemed to be in shock at what was happening and kept swearing to them he'd get revenge on them all once he got out of his prison, while Sykes, who was terrified at the prospect of being paralyzed from head to toe, started begging and pleading as they hooked him up).<p>

The rest of the team was celebrating with cookies, hot chocolate and a movie marathon (only comedy, Pete had reassured everybody, not wanting to have any more horror or action than they had already had that day). However, Steve wasn't sure he wanted to join.

Nobody seemed to hold his actions for the day against him – they knew he had been in Sykes' control and would never have hurt anyone if he could have helped it. But still, he had hurt Claudia. He shuddered, thinking of the paralyzing fear he had felt when Sykes' had first used the riding crop on him. First confusion, then comprehension, then fear had overwhelmed him. He had fought desperately against its hold, but had been forced to stand as a prisoner of Sykes until he heard Claudia's voice, her footsteps coming up the stairs.

Her happy, hopeful voice had cut into him like a knife – he had led her right into danger. But Sykes had opened his mouth and forced the words out that led her to him. And then he had grabbed her and shoved her and held his gun to her head, with the chance of pulling the trigger at any time. He had even choked her so hard that she almost died. And then, Sykes had actually made him shoot her. He had almost lost Claudia the exact same way he had lost Olivia.

Except that this time, he would have been the one responsible for ending her life.

The thought made him gag. He honestly, truly didn't know what he would have done with himself if he had killed Claudia.

He was just lucky that Claudia had an artifact on her hands (a Casper the Ghost movie prop that could simulate the qualities of a ghost).

So instead of watching movies and eating comfort food with the rest of his friends, Steve went into his room and lay down. All his things had been put into storage or were at his new apartment, just 10 minutes from Sykes' hanger. (His stomach turned over at the thought of Claudia running up the stairs in that hanger, hope in her voice that her friend was back). But his bed was still there, with fresh sheets on it. He laid down and closed his eyes. Sleep came quickly. Unfortunately, so did nightmares.

_He was back in the Warehouse, until Sykes' control as he shot the gun at Claudia. This time she collapsed, a bullet in her chest. Steve screamed in horror, as Sykes laughed in triumph and Claudia's blank eyes stared at him. Then, her corpse turned into Olivia, and blood began to pour out of her chest, her mouth, her eyes, everywhere. Steve tried to move backwards, away from the horrific sight, but instead found himself moving closer and closer. The body transformed from Claudia to Olivia, from Olivia to Claudia, and back and forth, both bloody and with blank, unseeing eyes._

"_Did you protect her Steve?" Sykes asked in the background, but Steve couldn't move away from the sight. "Was it worth all those weeks of ignoring her calls and texts and making her believe that you hated her?" _

_And suddenly the scene changed to Marcus dumping Claudia's body in a landfill, and Steve could see the bodies of Myka and Pete and Jane and H.G. and Artie, even Trailer, the dog he and Claudia had found together was dead. _

_All because of him._

_He backed away but found himself back in the Warehouse and being shoved into the Bronze machine himself by Sykes, struggling, because he was the last hope the Warehouse had, but it was over, Sykes had Bronzed him and Marcus was carrying his body away to the landfill, where he laid the Bronzed Steve next to Claudia's body and Steve could somehow see through the Bronze as Claudia's body became changed by age and the elements, until there was nothing left of her and there was only him, abandoned and alone and stuck inside his mind and with his guilt for all eternity…_

* * *

><p>Claudia looked around midway through "The History of the World Part 1" and realized that Steve wasn't there. She knew he had been in the background of the celebration that Sykes was gone, but she hadn't really realized that he wasn't there until now. Grabbing a few cookies and a new mug of hot chocolate, Claudia got up and walked out of the room.<p>

She walked over to Steve's room, guessing that he had laid down for a nap – he had looked exhausted earlier on. She knocked faintly and then gently opened the door to Steve's room, laying the cookies and hot chocolate down by his bedside. She had been right, he was napping. The snacks would be a nice treat when he waked up.

"No. I'm sorry…" Steve whimpered in his sleep, and Claudia turned curiously over to look at him. For the first time she noticed that he wasn't having a peaceful sleep – his skin was clammy and soaked with sweat and he seemed to be tossing and turning on the bed; muscles were sticking out of his neck. "Please…"

_Alone for all eternity he hadn't wanted to hurt anybody he had just wanted to protect her…_

"Steve?" Claudia said, gently shaking his sleeve.

_Trapped in his memories trapped in his guilt no way out…_

"Steve!" She said more urgently, shaking him. He still wasn't waking up. She turned and ran out of the room.

_no one would come for him sykes had taken over everything he was forgotten he was alone he had caused the deaths of everyone he loved because he wasn't good enough and he knew he deserved to be alone forever_

Steve woke up as water drenched him. He turned to stare at Claudia, who was looking down on him, eyes wide.

"Claud?" He said, looking at the glass in his hand.

"You were having a nightmare." She said.

He nodded, and then stared up at her. "Thanks." He said roughly. "Um…I kind of want to get back to sleep…" Oh yeah, like there was any way in hell was sleeping tonight, let alone for a week. Not with nightmares like that.

"Oh no you don't Jinksy, you don't get out of that easily." Claud said, sitting down on his bed.

"Claud, it's been a long day…"

"Yeah, and I'm guessing that's why you were having nightmares."

"I don't want to talk about it." Steve said, grabbing a towel from one of his drawers (Leena had kept fresh towels and sheets on hand, bless her) and rubbing it through his hair.

"You know I don't blame you, right Jinksy?" Claud asked curiously.

Steve froze.

"I mean, you were trying to help. It wasn't your fault Sykes made you attack me. Even Pete had to do what Marcus wanted with the riding crop."

That stupid riding crop. Why hadn't Steve just knocked out Marcus then, explained everything to Pete and Myka and Claud and they could have taken the Janus coin and run back to the Warehouse with it. Why had he given Claud the note telling him where to met him? He had led them into the lion's den: Sykes and Marcus, armed with artifacts that could kill and harm his friends.

"I should have executed the mission better." Steve said.

"Steve," damn it, his first name, this was serious, "you did everything Jane wanted you to. But Sykes was clever. He knew you would never betray us and hurt me, and that's why he saw through you. It's better than you slipping into the role of torturer and murderer too easily." Claud shuttered. "You could have been lured over to the dark side, and you weren't." She said easily. She stood up and walked over to him. His back was to her, so she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm glad you're back." She smiled. "And not a traitor."

Steve turned around and hugged her to him. "I'm glad I'm back too." He was hugging her tightly, almost too tightly, but Claudia sensed that he needed it and let him do it.

There was a moment of silence and then Steve spoke up again. "I could have done things better."

"You wanted to do your job and keep everybody safe." Claudia said. He felt her shrug. "Shit happens, that's a fact of life. And Sykes was a psychopath – you couldn't have predicted what you'd be up against." Steve nodded, comforted by her words. They stayed that way for a while, Claudia pleased that her partner was back, Steve relieved that he was freed from the heartlessness and cruelty of Marcus, his previous partner, and was back where he belonged – with his rightful partner, one who cared about him and loved him.

He might have nearly killed her, but he would take a bullet for her any day, and she knew that.

Steve took a deep breath, inhaling the wooden smell of his furniture, Claudia's perfume and fudge.

It was good to be home.


End file.
